Tag: Tami Urcia

It’s always interesting to hear the reactions when we have a period of Indian summer during our Michigan autumn. Some are in seventh heaven, pull out the golf clubs, throw some meat on the grill and soak it up. Others are saddened that their anticipation of Christmas is waylaid and wish for chillier weather or even snow. Others just go with the flow, knowing that the cold will be back soon enough.

This could be a great metaphor for our spiritual life as well. When we feel the warmth of summer in our souls, do we act upon it? When the flame of the Holy Spirit burns within us, do we pull out our clubs and swing away, so to speak?

When we are saddened because we are in a period of waiting, and that joyful anticipation has seemingly disappeared, do we lament and wish for things to be different? Or do we live in the moment and take more time for prayer?

Or are we just floating along on a lazy river, steering neither left nor right, up nor down, just letting life take us where it may? Is this really living?

It all comes down to gratitude. If you think about it, the measure of our gratefulness is the measure of our joy. If we are thankful for the warmth and thankful for the chill and thankful for everything in between, we will find ourselves content.

And with joy-filled hearts we will be able to proclaim together with the Psalmist: “Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; serve the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful song. Know that the Lord is God; he made us, his we are; his people, the flock he tends. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise; give thanks to him; bless his name. For he is good: the Lord, whose kindness endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”

What an amazing cascade of praise! Many of us struggle to eek out a simple “thank you”. Can you imagine your soul being so full that you could not stop expressing  your gratitude?!

So on this day set aside to give thanks, let us shift our thoughts to the positive, let us remember all of God’s mercies, all of His blessings and be grateful for what truly matters. It may be warm today and cold tomorrow, but God’s love is with us through it all. Thank you, Lord!

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As I slid into the pew and knelt down to prepare my heart for Mass, I saw something out of the corner of my eye. Glancing over to the sill of the stained glass window, I noticed several picture frames holding images of unknown individuals. Some were black and white, some looked fairly recent, but one thing I knew for sure, they were all no longer with us. It was the month of November and my parish had invited everyone to bring in images of their deceased loved ones. It was a time to pray for the souls of those still in purgatory.

Fast forward to a different year in a different state and I found myself in a cemetery setting up chairs. The Hispanic community would celebrate Mass outside among the graves. Tables lined the edges of the seating area and these people were also bringing in images of their loved ones. But this time, they also brought decorations, food, flowers, candles, toys, dolls and sometimes even painted skulls. What an incredible tradition! So different from what many of us are used to, “El Día de Muertos” is more a day of celebration than of mourning.

After Mass was over, we shared a meal of tamales, horchata (warm rice milk with cinnamon) and pan de muertos (bread of the dead). Those present recalled anecdotes of their relatives and friends and shared the foods they once enjoyed the most. The wind was brisk and the day was chilly, so not many lingered, but the ceremony was definitely memorable.

How will you chose to spend All Souls Day today? As you pray for the souls of your beloved departed, do you mourn them still or will you celebrate their past life on earth as well as their new life in heaven. For most of us, it will be a little bit of both. We cannot help but be sad that we can no longer physically spend time with them, but we rejoice that “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away.” (Rev 21:4)

Our readings today grant so much comfort. “The souls of the just are in the hand of God…they are in peace…they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself…and the faithful shall abide with him in love…” (Wis 3) Our Catholic Faith gives us so much hope. Paul proclaims such an amazing truth: “For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.” Did you hear that? We will rise again! And so will our loved ones.

So may this day be one where our mourning is turned into dancing because of God’s great promise to us.

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This time of year always has me reflecting on change. I watch in awe as day after day the trees turn into a brilliant array of colors, then fall one by one as the brisk winds carry them away. Our family also celebrates several birthdays. Two of my in-laws, myself, my young son and my Dad all increase their ages by one this month. The trees prepare for winter and the calendar pages turn.

The change of seasons has me reflecting on internal change as well. As the leaves transform from a healthy spring green to a crisp brown on the ground, I wonder if there is something within me that needs to fall as well. Which elements of my character, which poignant words, which vices should just fall to the ground to be trampled underfoot?

The words of the First Reading are powerful: “I have called you by your name… I am the Lord…” I am so tempted to think that I am talented or capable or hardworking. It is so easy to criticize, complain and be filled with negativity. In those moments of weakness, I forget this amazing truth. He has called me by name!

One who is called is also chosen. One who is chosen should follow in the footsteps of the One who chose him. My life should emulate His words and actions so as to be a good example and a source of joy to all I encounter.

Listen to the words of St. Paul in today’s Second Reading: “We give thanks to God always for all of you, remembering you in our prayers, unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love, and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father, knowing, brothers and sisters, how you were chosen.”

Perhaps on this Sunday it would be a good exercise for us to reflect on these questions: Do others give thanks to God for me because of how I emulate His love? Do you remember others in your prayers, especially those you may struggle with? Does your life include works of faith and labors of love? Do you have an enduring hope in our Lord? Do you realize that you are chosen and live accordingly?

As I type I immediately realize that I have a long way to go. But we can never reach the finish line until we approach the starting line. May this season of change bring many changes in our hearts as well so that we may grow ever closer to our Lord and inspire others to as well.

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We made a lot of changes in our family this past year due to “you know what”. As the playgrounds, the library, the bouncy houses and the schools closed, we sought alternate ways to keep our young boys happy and occupied. Let me tell you, with the amount of energy they have that is no easy task!

One thing we discerned was moving to a smaller house with a bigger yard. Although we never dreamed we would end up at our current location, it has been such a blessing as we watch our sons play outside for hours every day. They make forts between the pines, jump from landscaping rocks, compete in countless soccer matches, and race their bikes up and down the empty side street.

But perhaps one of the biggest blessings has been watching their minds and hearts expand as they learn at home. My oldest is preparing for his First Communion this year and has been watching stories about the saints on EWTN. I invited him to teach me a few things about them as well so he excitedly quizzes me about their lives. He also insists on reading from the children’s Bible each night during story time.  And after a playful tap on the head by our Pastor declaring him a future priest, he is now considering a vocation.

We can learn so much from the heart of a child and also from our saints. Today we celebrate St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila). She was “a woman of prayer, discipline, and compassion. Her heart belonged to God. Her ongoing conversion was an arduous lifelong struggle, involving ongoing purification and suffering.” (franciscanmedia.org). She is one of the first women to be named a Doctor of the Church.

Paul, another great saint, paints a picture of holiness for us in today’s First Reading: “…he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself…In Christ we have redemption…he has made known to us the mystery of his will…”

This tells us two things: 1) that we are called to be holy by following His will, and 2) that this is only possible through and in Him. Our pride can tempt us to believe that holiness is achieved through our own merit. While avoiding sin is certainly necessary to obtain our eternal reward, only the grace of God can help us do that. We so easily fall back into our old habits. It is only through Him and with Him that we can win the constant battle of good vs. evil in our own hearts.

So, I invite you to dig into today’s readings and perhaps look up the life of St. Teresa of Jesus. Which words and which virtues jump out at you? What step toward holiness could God be calling you to take today?

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A couple weeks ago I was having a conversation with a coworker about how hard it is sometimes to pull even one positive, uplifting comment from the Sunday Gospel. Some of them tend to be a little more gloom and doom. Today’s readings are the exact opposite and they happen to be some of my favorites.

Listen to this: “…the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.” I love how the prophet Isaiah takes the time to use descriptive adjectives. “Rich” and “choice” were not enough, he had to go on to say “juicy” and “pure”. Now, I don’t know about you but I. Love. Food. So just reading these words has my mouth is watering already!

But he doesn’t stop there, he goes on to proclaim even more profound truths: “…he will destroy death forever. The Lord God will wipe away the tears from every face…” In my book, this one reading alone is enough to drive every last inkling of gloom and doom away!

Psalm 23 prolongs the beautiful imagery.  “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me…” Today provides a perfect opportunity to sit with these words in the quiet and simply bask in God’s goodness.

Maybe our life is in fact looking a little gloomy. Maybe our table has the same things on it over and over again, a far cry from a feast. Maybe our day to day reality resembles enclosed walls more than verdant pastures. Maybe the noise of our children or our work place or our own thoughts reminds us of a bursting dam more than restful waters.

If that is the case, I hope this one phrase brings you comfort: “…and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come.” Yes! This earthly life is not the end! We were created for our heavenly home.

I think our Second Reading gives us a good tip for experiencing that joy that we long for in the meantime. “I know how to live in humble circumstances; I also know how to live with abundance…God will fully supply whatever you need…”

In the end, it doesn’t really matter whether we are rich or poor, happy or sad, warm or cold, but rather that we have the Lord. Although sometimes it seems we may ask and ask for our “needs” to no avail, God knows our hearts and provides for what we truly need.

So I invite you to purposefully seek out a few moments of silence today to let these inspirational readings enrich you. May they cause you to fall deeper in love with our amazing God.

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My family just moved to a small town outside the city. My boys now enjoy abundant playtime outside in our expansive backyard, and we sleep better at night without all the cars and motorcycles passing by. We love the house and are settling in. We put up curtains last night, filled the bookshelves the night before, and put down area rugs the night before that. It is starting to look like a cozy home.

Our new location also triples my commute into work. I have a whole hour to take in the huge trees that line the highway and enjoy the silence as I collect my thoughts. At home there is the noise of my rambunctious children and at work there is mental noise with all the “to-do’s”. I don’t even turn the radio on. I just let my thoughts wander or sometimes I don’t think of anything at all.

However, my desire is to utilize the drive as quality prayer time. I want to praise God for the beauty of His creation, ask Him to lead my children to sanctity, beg his mercy for family members who are struggling and ask Him for the grace to be a good example of discipleship throughout my day.

Today is the feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist. Reading the Gospels of the calling of the first disciples quite frankly floors me. Listen to this: “As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him.” Just like that! He got up and followed him. No questions asked. No ifs, ands or buts. No looking back.

I would have to take a long, hard look at my soul to discern whether I was capable of such detachment. While I like to think I live simply, if my rage at being without internet for a week is any indication, I have a very long way to go.

I yearn to live out the words of St. Paul and “live in a manner worthy of the call [I] have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love…”, yet those seem to be the virtues I lack most. Sigh…

As we continue to adjust to our new normal in our new town, I hope to work on these virtues through participation in ministry. I love how St. Paul goes on to mention that we all have different gifts: apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher, equip-er of others for ministry, builder-upper of the Body of Christ. I look forward to discovering my unique gifts in order to help draw others closer to God.

May we all begin to recognize Christ’s gift of grace given to each of us and become just as willing as Matthew to follow Him.

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Sometimes we are capable of things we never thought humanly possible. Sometimes we have to push ourselves beyond our limits, beyond our comfort zone and power through. Sometimes feeling tired is just the beginning and utter exhaustion seems to have no end.

My husband and I are two months into a top-to-bottom renovation project on our current home. An old 1930’s 2-bedroom, 1- bath ranch was transformed by my father over the years into a two story home with an auxiliary unit above the garage. My husband and I bought it five years ago and have torn down walls, stripped off every last bit of wall paper, painted almost every square inch, redone 75% of the flooring, created a main-floor laundry, divided one large bathroom into two, engineered two bedroom closets, replaced walls and ceilings, put up built-in shelving, scoured the basement, put in central air, and the list goes on…

How fitting that today is Labor Day. And while I would love to say that it has been a labor of love, in all honesty it has been more like a labor of blood, sweat and tears…literally. With 4 small boys to take care of as well as the everyday chores, most of our work is done after they are in bed. We set small goals for ourselves and work for three or four hours each night. It has been a daunting task, but I can finally say that I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our to-do list is getting smaller and the house is looking amazing. Oh, and did I mention we just moved over the weekend? I’d better get to un-packing!

This whole venture has been an attempt to try something completely new for our family. We are going out on a limb, taking a risk, hoping for the best. Today’s reading states: “Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough…” I love this! We are literally clearing out everything, purging, tossing and giving away. We hope to get more involved in ministry, live a more simplified life, listen to God’s voice in a quieter atmosphere. We hope the dough of our hearts will rise and the work of our hands, will “feed” those we encounter, beginning with our own family.

What is God calling you to clear out? The reading speaks of immorality, wickedness and pride, but what is it that you struggle with personally?  Perhaps it is forgiveness, confronting someone you really need to have an honest conversation with, or going to confession. Only you know what kind of spring cleaning your heart needs.

Once you take that step, that leap of faith you will truly be able to “celebrate the feast … of sincerity and truth”.

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Our family was recently blessed to take a 5-day vacation in northern Michigan. Although our excursion didn’t take us to the Upper Peninsula, we were far enough north to feel the cool morning air, listen to the breeze rustle through the tall trees and enjoy the clear Pure Michigan lakes. The weather was as close to perfect as it gets, sunny skies and mid to upper 70’s the whole time. We were able to get away from it all. No home projects, no family problems, no moving planning… Our only goals were to hit the beach and go out for ice cream every day. Thankfully, we had no problem meeting them.

My kids got to deepen their suntan at the parks, in the water and at the B&B. Of course no one wanted to come back, and almost every year we talk about getting a place up there, even if it’s only dreaming.

We got home refreshed and exhausted but had no choice but to hit the ground running since laundry and grocery shopping awaited us.  Sometimes it’s hard not to go into a slight depression after being on vacation and having such a great time. Sometimes it’s hard to stay positive.

Looking at today’s readings, I’ll admit I had trouble finding anything positive. “Because you are haughty of heart…” “You are a man and not a god…” “They shall thrust you down to the pit, there to die a bloodied corpse…”. Wait, is this some sort of pirate novel or the Bible?!

Alas, sometimes we need confronting.  Sometimes we need someone to wake us up from our bullheadedness, our daily seeking of our own way, our constant need to be in control. We need someone to shake us up a bit and say “Hey! You know that habit that you’ve gotten into that you think is just a normal part of life? That’s NOT okay. That needs to change.”

In the Gospel Jesus continues to confront his disciples, explaining how difficult it is to enter the Kingdom of heaven. “Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” Is everything doom and gloom today? Where is our hope?

I take a deep breath, continue reading and there it is: “For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” Ahhh yes, when I rely on my own devices, my own stubbornness, my own pride, then things can so easily go awry, but God is in charge here and with Him all things are possible.

ALL THINGS. That is a bold statement, yet one that gives us so much comfort, so much stability, so much peace when our world feels topsy turvy. Only God can claim that ALL THINGS are possible, because only He is in control.

Lord, take my impossible things today and make them possible. May your will be done in my life. Even though I can’t enjoy the freedom of a vacation every day, I know that I will enjoy it one day in heaven if I walk by Your side. May I never part from You, who make all things possible. Amen.

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